The Roman Agora in Athens, beside Monastiraki, was the city’s marketplace under Roman rule and is home to the remarkable octagonal Tower of the Winds, the ancient world’s only surviving clock tower. Explore it with skip-the-line tickets and guided tours from My Greece Tours for a richer, queue-free visit.
The Roman Agora is one of the rewarding ancient sites in the Athens travel guide. The sections below cover its history, the Tower of the Winds, what to see and tips in full.
What is the Roman Agora in Athens?
An open-air archaeological site beside Monastiraki, the Roman Agora was the marketplace and commercial centre of Athens under Roman rule, built in the 1st century BC with funding from Julius Caesar and Augustus. It holds the famous octagonal Tower of the Winds and the monumental Gate of Athena Archegetis, and lies a short walk from the Ancient Agora.
The Roman Agora is a fascinating ancient site in the heart of old Athens, just east of the older and larger Ancient Agora and on the edge of the lively Monastiraki and Plaka districts. When Athens came under Roman rule, the city’s commercial life shifted here, and this rectangular, colonnaded marketplace was built in the late 1st century BC, funded by the Roman leaders Julius Caesar and the emperor Augustus, to serve as the new agora, or forum, of Roman Athens. Today the site preserves the remains of its courtyard, shops and colonnades, entered through the grand surviving Gate of Athena Archegetis, but its undoubted star is the extraordinary octagonal Tower of the Winds, one of the best-preserved monuments of antiquity. Compact and easily explored, the Roman Agora adds a rich Roman chapter to the ancient story of Athens and combines perfectly with the nearby Ancient Agora and the Acropolis. For its atmosphere and unique monuments, it is well worth a visit, set out alongside the guide to the Ancient Agora. Its star monument is the Tower of the Winds.
What is the Tower of the Winds?
An eight-sided Pentelic marble tower in the Roman Agora, the Tower of the Winds was built around 50 BC and named after the eight wind gods carved in relief around its top. It is the only surviving clock tower from classical antiquity, once housing a water clock and bearing sundials, and is among the very few ancient buildings to stand almost intact.
The crowning highlight of the Roman Agora is the remarkable Tower of the Winds, among the most intriguing and best-preserved monuments to survive from the ancient world. This elegant octagonal tower, built of fine Pentelic marble around 50 BC, takes its name from the eight large sculpted reliefs near its top, each personifying one of the eight winds, depicted as winged figures, such as Boreas the north wind and Zephyrus the west wind, one on each of its eight faces aligned to the compass points. The tower functioned as an ingenious ancient timepiece and weather station: it was topped by a bronze weather vane, bore sundials on its outer walls to tell the time by the sun, and housed an elaborate water clock inside driven by water from the Acropolis springs to keep time when there was no sun. Remarkably, it is the only horologium, or clock tower, to survive from classical antiquity, and it stands almost completely intact, having been continuously used for various purposes over two millennia. Seeing this ancient marvel up close is unforgettable, set out alongside the guide to things to do in Athens. The site has more to see.
What else can you see at the Roman Agora?
Besides the Tower of the Winds, you can see the monumental Gate of Athena Archegetis, the main western entrance with four Doric columns; the remains of the open courtyard surrounded by colonnades and shops; the ruins of a public latrine (Vespasianae); and the foundations of an early Ottoman mosque, reflecting the site’s layers of history from Roman to Ottoman Athens.
While the Tower of the Winds steals the show, the Roman Agora has several other features that make a visit rewarding and reveal the layers of the city’s history. The grand western entrance is the well-preserved Gate of Athena Archegetis, a monumental marble gateway with four Doric columns and an inscription, dedicated to Athena and funded by Julius Caesar and Augustus, which once welcomed traders and citizens into the market. Within the site you can trace the large rectangular open courtyard that formed the heart of the marketplace, originally surrounded by covered colonnades, or stoas, and rows of shops where goods were sold. Other remains include a public latrine, known as the Vespasianae, a reminder of Roman civic amenities, and water installations. The site also bears traces of later eras, including the foundations of the Fethiye Mosque from the early Ottoman period and other post-antique structures, showing how the agora was used and built over through Byzantine and Ottoman times. These remains, set against the backdrop of the Acropolis, make the compact site atmospheric and historically rich, set out alongside the guide to Monastiraki. Visiting is quick and easy.
How do you visit the Roman Agora?
The Roman Agora is in the Monastiraki area, a short walk from Monastiraki metro and the Ancient Agora. It has its own ticket and is included in the combined Acropolis multi-site pass. The site is small, so allow around 30 minutes to an hour, visit early or late to avoid the heat, and combine it with the Ancient Agora, Plaka and the Acropolis.
Visiting the Roman Agora is simple and combines naturally with the other sights of old Athens. The site sits in the historic centre, in the Monastiraki neighbourhood between Plaka and the Ancient Agora, so the easiest way to reach it is to take the metro to Monastiraki station and walk the short distance on foot through the atmospheric old streets. The Roman Agora has its own entrance ticket, but it is also covered by the combined multi-site archaeological pass that includes the Acropolis and several other central sites, which offers good value if you are seeing several. As it is a relatively small, compact site, you need only around half an hour to an hour to explore the courtyard, the Tower of the Winds, the Gate of Athena Archegetis and the other remains and take photographs. As with all the open ancient sites, it is best visited early in the morning or in the late afternoon to avoid the midday heat, and you should wear comfortable shoes for the uneven ground and bring water and sun protection. The Roman Agora pairs perfectly with the adjacent Ancient Agora, Plaka and the Acropolis for a full day. With these tips, it is an easy, rewarding stop, set out alongside the guides to Plaka and the best time to visit. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
When was the Roman Agora built and why?
The Roman Agora was built between around 19 and 11 BC, funded by Julius Caesar and the emperor Augustus, when Athens was under Roman rule. As the city grew under the Romans, the old Ancient Agora became crowded, so a new, purpose-built commercial marketplace was created nearby to house the city’s trade, shops and markets.
The Roman Agora was a product of the era when Athens, though no longer a great power, flourished as a revered cultural city within the Roman Empire. By the late 1st century BC, the original Ancient Agora, which had served as the civic, political and commercial heart of Athens for centuries, had become crowded with monuments, temples and public buildings, leaving little room for the everyday business of buying and selling. To solve this, the Romans funded the construction of a new, dedicated commercial marketplace a short distance to the east, and this is the Roman Agora. The project was financed by the Roman leaders Julius Caesar and, after his death, the emperor Augustus, as recorded in the inscription on its grand western gateway, and the marketplace was completed around 19 to 11 BC. Built as a large rectangular courtyard surrounded by colonnades and rows of shops, it took over the role of the main market of Athens, where merchants traded goods, oil and produce. It reflected Roman investment in the beloved city and the shift of commercial life to this new forum. Knowing its origins adds context to the ruins, set out alongside the guide to ancient Athens history. Combining it with nearby sites is easy.
How do you combine the Roman Agora with other Athens sites?
The Roman Agora sits in the heart of old Athens, so it combines easily with the adjacent Ancient Agora, the Library of Hadrian, Monastiraki, Plaka and the Acropolis, all within a short walk. A combined multi-site ticket covers several, making it efficient to see the Roman Agora as part of a half-day exploring the ancient centre.
One of the great advantages of the Roman Agora is its central location, which makes it effortless to combine with the cluster of other ancient sites and atmospheric neighbourhoods around it for a rewarding half-day or day in old Athens. Immediately to the west lies the larger and older Ancient Agora, with the superb Temple of Hephaestus and the Stoa of Attalos, so the two agoras are natural companions, separated only by a short walk. Right beside the Roman Agora stand the ruins of the Library of Hadrian, a grand Roman cultural complex, while the lively Monastiraki square, the charming lanes of Plaka, and the mighty Acropolis are all just minutes away on foot. This concentration means you can weave the Roman Agora and its Tower of the Winds into a walking route that takes in the Acropolis, both agoras and the old town, soaking up layers of ancient, Byzantine and Ottoman Athens along the way. A combined multi-site archaeological ticket conveniently covers the Acropolis, both agoras and several other sites, saving money and queuing. Planning such a route makes the most of the compact historic centre, set out alongside the guides to the Ancient Agora and a one-day itinerary. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Roman Agora in Athens?
The site was the marketplace and commercial centre of Athens under Roman rule, built in the 1st century BC with funding from Julius Caesar and Augustus, beside Monastiraki. It holds the famous octagonal Tower of the Winds and the monumental Gate of Athena Archegetis, and lies a short walk from the older Ancient Agora.
What is the Tower of the Winds?
An eight-sided Pentelic marble tower in the Roman Agora, the Tower of the Winds was built around 50 BC and named after the eight wind gods carved around its top. It is the only surviving clock tower from classical antiquity, once housing a water clock and bearing sundials, and stands almost completely intact.
Is the Roman Agora included in the Acropolis combined ticket?
Yes, the Roman Agora is included in the combined multi-site archaeological pass that covers the Acropolis and several other Athens sites, which offers good value if you visit several. It also has its own separate entrance ticket. The compact site takes around 30 minutes to an hour to explore.